Today’s episode should be very interesting not only for I.T. enthusiasts but also for everyone else who wants to upscale their game in their career. Our guest today is Jeremy Likness, a cloud developer advocate for Microsoft and he has one great piece of advice for you – be comfortable selling yourself!

Jeremy’s career has spanned over 20 years which he says has mostly focused on communicating with clients and customers. And he proves that it really made a difference in his career when he started changing how he packaged himself to relay his knowledge and skills easily. These ups and downs made him brave enough to take risks, learn on his own and be determined about his goals. He made connections along the way and his goal is to empower other developers to be their best.

Start listening to learn more about Jeremy’s career advice!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES

(00:32) Phil introduces Jeremy Likness.

(01:02) What is a cloud developer advocate?

(01:42) Jeremy tells us more about his career that spans over two decades.

(02:23) Despite being a college drop-out, he has strived to get to his position through hard work and self-teaching.

(03:00) Unique Career Tip: Jeremy says, “Don’t be afraid of sales! You have to be comfortable selling yourself.”

(03:15) How important is selling yourself?

(03:47) His experience when he was starting with his online fitness business. He had no clue what he was doing and he was not making any revenue.

(04:03) He says that he decided to get mentored by extremely successful entrepreneurs who gave him great pieces of career advice.

(05:15) Jeremy discusses the use of the ‘mindset shift.’

(07:28) Worst Career Moment: Jeremy recalls his bad experience of dealing with unstable software with a start-up company and how he learned the value of testing.

(07:38) Jeremy tells us more about the start-up company and his responsibilities for the project at the time.

(08:26) If you’re having a problem with software, you often can’t fix it with a hardware alone. It has to be stable software first.

(08:55) Learning about caution when handling software, especially if it’s just in its infancy.

(09:24) The value of testing software by setting up laboratories, testing procedures, etc.

(10:20) Career Highlight: Jeremy says it was when he finally got the job he wanted after taking the risk and being persistent about it.

(10:28) He says he took a job before with too many responsibilities with long hours, he had a hard time delegating tasks and it eventually took its toll on him.

(11:15) Jeremy shares with us how he met the people from a software-based consulting firm that sparked the idea of him transferring to a better job.

(11:40) Jeremy tells us about how he took the risk, never gave up and persisted with it.

(12:14) What Excites You About The Future of a Career in I.T.? Jeremy loves that I.T. has not stopped evolving and has started becoming much more diverse.

(12:40) Jeremy says I.T. is evolving and making more opportunities for people of different ages.

(13:40) Have a definite focus on the career path you want to pursue.

(14:27) I.T. is becoming more diverse and accepting of minorities.

(14:48) The Reveal

(14:51) What attracted you to an I.T. career in the first place? – “When I was a kid, I decided to take the manual of the computer TI 49/4a and started following the instructions. It was like magic. I was blown away.”

(15:21) What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received? – “Everything’s either reversible or irreversible. If it’s reversible, stop being frustrated about it and fix it. If it’s irreversible, learn from it and move on.”

(15:52) If you were to begin your I.T. career again, right now, what would you do? – “I would not change a thing. Everything happens for a reason.”

(16:17) What career objectives are you focusing on right now? – “Empowering developers to be their best.”

(16:47) What’s the number one non-technical skill that has helped you in your career so far? – “Sales.”

(17:27) A Parting Piece of Advice: You can. Take the risk.

(17:35) Jeremy proves that taking risks is important to being successful in your career.

(17:45) Establish connections and network.

(18:00) Have something bigger in you so when life gets tough, you have something to hold onto.

BEST MOMENTS

“Ultimately, at the end of the day, it’s no longer gonna be just about yourself as your career evolves, it’s gonna be about the other people and how you connect (with them.)” – Jeremy Likness on being comfortable with yourself

“It seems dangerous but if you take one area you’re passionate about, follow it and market yourself.” – Jeremy Likness on choosing a career path in I.T.

Phil Burgess, an I.T. consultant, mentor, and coach, is the creator and host of I.T. Career Energizer Podcast. His podcast continues to inspire, assist and guide aspirants start and grow in their career by inviting successful professionals, consultants, and experts in the I.T.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Jeremy Likness is a Senior Develop Advocate for Microsoft, an author of books about developing applications, a contributor for both print and online publications, and an international speaker.